Video: Bystander captures robber

A trip to the convenience store suddenly became a lot more than that for Nic Gomez Monday night.

http://www.wcax.com/story/18429364/bystander-captures-springfield-robber

Bystander captures Springfield robber Posted: May 15, 2012 6:17 PM EDT Updated: May 15, 2012 8:19 PM EDT By Deanna LeBlanc - bio | email Nic Gomez SPRINGFIELD, Vt. - A trip to the convenience store suddenly became a lot more than that for Nic Gomez Monday night. "I've been waiting for the day to actually do something like this," Gomez said. He was just pulling into the Irving Gas Station on route 106 when he saw a masked person with a gun walk out. He decided to pursue and grab hold of the armed robber, who continued to walk away. "She kept pulling me, she kept walking away and I told her to stop a couple times," Gomez said. "And then about right here she turned on me with the gun and I sunk in the neck restraint and wrapped the gun up with my leg and brought her to the ground." Police say the woman was 22 year old McKennie L. Gabert of Saxtons River. She's charged with holding up the store and taking off with all the cash from the register. Gomez said after bringing Gabert to the ground, his friend then took the gun and they walked her back to the store to wait for police. Gomez said he's trained in mixed martial arts and that makes him qualified to take down a suspect, but Springfield Police urge the public never to take matters into their own hands. "I'd rather have a good witness than a hurt witness or a killed witness," said Springfield Police Chief Douglas Johnston. Even though Gabert's gun turned out to be just a BB, Johnston says you should never risk your own safety, but should stay alert. "When these types of things occur, make sure you get a good description of the person, which way they were traveling, if a vehicle was involved -- that sort of thing -- versus interacting with the offender or suspect at the time," he said. Gabert was arraigned Tuesday in court and is being held on $10,000 bail.